Happy Holidays - Babes Style! Last FREE Reading This Sunday at 1pm and MORE

Here's the latest news from our friends over at Babes With Blades

Like Hunger Games and women as protagonists who don't just lay around like the Disney coma princesses, waiting to be rescued?   Come check out some real life women who kick booty with sword fights & stage combat.  

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, Babes With Blades have been favorites of ours for years.   Their shows are aimed at adults, but my tweens adore them, too!

There's just one more reading left...  in 2013! Please join us for the final "Fighting Words" reading of the *winner* of our 2013-2014 Joining Sword and Pen Competition: Witch Slap by Jeff Goode Sunday, December 8th, 1pm Profiles Alley Stage 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago    Admission is FREE! And Congratulations to our 2014 Fighting Words Selections! An Eye for an Eye by Rachel Teagle Boudica by Jeffrey Fiske Mercury by Anna Fitz Boudica by J. Christopher Harris    (Yes, you read that correctly: two riffs on the story of Boudica!) Dates & locations will be posted asap!  Want to know more about Fighting Words?  Go here.  *ChiIL Live Shows' friend, David Woolley, of The Swordsmen fame (Ren Faire Royalty/Columbia Professor) is involved with Sword & Pen every year.) And Announcing the Spring 2014 World Premiere of L'Imbecile  By Aaron Adair   A decadent, gender-twisted take on Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto.    SHOW DATES: 4/5 - 5/10/14 Tickets on sale in 2014!   At the Rivendell Theatre 5779 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago   Director: Wm Bullion Violence Design: Alison Dornheggen*   CAST: Elyse Dawson (Courtier 2), Amy E. Harmon* (Priestess/Gypsy), Kimberly Logan* (Courtier 1), Elizabeth MacDougald* (Courtier 3), Luke Meierdiercks (Son), Sarah Razmann (Fool), Maureen Yasko* (Queen), Josh Zagoren (Husband/Brother)   STAFF: Christy Arington (Assistant Director), Leigh Barrett* (Lighting Designer), Sharon Cruz (Stage Manager), Sid Feldman (Style Consultant),  Rose Freeman (Dramaturg), Stefanie Johnsen (Costume Designer), Sarah Scanlon (Sound Designer), Nicci Schumacher (Scenic Designer), Kelsey Shipley (Props Designer), Dustin Spence (Production Manager) *denotes BWBTC ensemble member Want more information?  Click here! Welcome Aboard to Allison Reinke!  BWBTC is proud to welcome our newest Ensemble member, Artistic Associate Allison Reinke! Ally has been working hard on Chicago stages (Roundhouse Productions' all-female RESERVOIR DOGS, Wayward Productions' "biker" RICHARD III) and on our Board of Directors this past year. We're excited to announce that in 2014, she will also be transitioning into her new role as BWBTC's Managing Director, as Amy E. Harmon moves into doing more artistic roles with the company. Welcome aboard, Ally! Check Out These Babes Dawn Alden and Kathrynne Wolf can be seen on the new web series, "Dark Age" - http://www.darkage.tv.    Brooke Elliot is starring in Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva as Jane/Deb. Check it out!  Amy E. Harmon's very tall turn in All Girl Frankenstein is extended through 12/14!  For more info &/or tix: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/371618 Starting January 25th, Kimberly Logan can be seen in Promethean Theatre Ensemble's production of The Lark: http://www.prometheantheatre.org/. Also in the show is Aila Peck, who you may remember from BWBTC's production of Julius Caesar earlier this year! Jennifer L. Mickelson's new play Rites and Sacrifices will be opening in 2014 with Idle Muse Theatre.  Please consider contributing to the Indiegogo campaign for the production.  Please check out this page for venue, dates and how to donate: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/give-the-dead-their-due  Calling all active & emeritus Babes: please keep us up-to-date on your activities! Email notgonnalie@babeswithblades.org about a listing in the Babes With Blades BroadSheet! Fabulous Women (and Friends) At Work   Is your organization providing opportunities for women in theatre or film? Want the Babes to promote your work? Email postal@BabesWithBlades.org about a listing in the Babes With Blades BroadSheet!

ACT OUT HOLIDAY: Once Upon A People OPENING at Black Ensemble Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows will be there tonight and we'll have a full review up shortly.   

Just in time for the holiday season

Black Ensemble Theater announces

THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

ONCE UPON A PEOPLE: A DANCESICAL

Written and directed by Rueben D. Echoles

Sponsored by

The Chicago Community Trust

Working in conjunction with

Studio One

November 30-December 30

running in repertory with The Curtis Mayfield Story

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor invites audiences to share in the magic of the holiday season with the world-premiere production of Once Upon A People: A Dancesical, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Rueben D. Echoles and made possible through a generous grant from Chicago Community Trust. During a limited run, Once Upon A People will enchant audiences of all ages at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago.  The show will run November 30 - December 30, 2013 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays (with an added preview performance on Saturday, November 30) in repertory with The Curtis Mayfield Story.  

Once Upon A People is an original African Fairytale that exemplifies the true power of love told through spoken word, beautiful music and exhilarating dance. It's a touching and warm adventure that is perfect for the holiday season. We will journey to the mystical land of Mirah where Prince Oba and Princess Erin take us on a fascinating mystical experience that teaches us to embrace the joy of living. 

The cast features Alexis J. Rogers (Queen Imani), Donald Craig Manuel (King Babatunde), Eric Lewis (Prince Oba), Jazzelle Morriss (Princess Erin) and Claudia Cunningham (Zahara).  Cast members playing various roles include: Camille Robinson, A’rese Emokpae, Trequon Tate, Mark J.P. Hood, LaRaia Gribble, La Dreauna Johnson, Kudzaishe Jeti, Kyle Smith and Aramie C. Payton.

The book and lyrics for Once Upon A People are written by Rueben D. Echoles, with vocal and musical arrangements by Rueben D. Echoles, Alexis J. Rogers and Kelvin Roston, Jr.. As with all Black Ensemble productions, the production features outstanding musicians.  The Musical Director is Kelvin Roston, Jr.  and the band leader is Robert Reddrick. The production features students from Studio One, a Southside organization dedicated to providing professional dance classes for children for over 25 years. 

Title:                             Once Upon A People: A Dancesical

Written &

Directed by:                  Rueben D. Echoles

Vocal and Musical

Arrangements by:          Alexis J. Rogers, Rueben D. Echoles and Kelvin Roston Jr.

Musical Director:           Kelvin Roston Jr.

Band Leader:                Robert Reddrick

Schedule:                     Monday:   Dec. 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 7:30pm

                                    Tuesday:  Dec. 10, 17, 24 at 7:30pm

Sunday:                      Dec.  8, 15, 22 and 29 at 7:30pm

Location:                      Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.

                                    Valet parking is available.

Ticket prices:                $45.00 for adults and $30.00 for children under 12

Box Office:                   Buy online at www.ticketmaster.com or call (773) 769-4451

The Black Ensemble Theater 

Founded in 1976, by the phenomenal producer, playwright and actress Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater is the only African American theater located in the culturally, racially and ethnically diverse north side Uptown community. Through its Five Play Season of Excellence, The Black Ensemble Theater dazzles audiences locally, nationally and internationally with outstanding original musicals that are entertaining, educational and uplifting. The Black Ensemble Theater has produced more than 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists.

On November 18, 2011, The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center opened and is able to accommodate larger-scale productions, bigger audiences and a wider range of educational programming. The new facility includes amenities such as a 299-seat main stage theater (double the capacity of the original venue); 14 offices, classroom space; rehearsal hall, dance studio, scene shop, costume shop, and wardrobe rooms; seven dressing rooms; rehearsal room for musicians; front lobby space with concession areas; and an indoor parking garage.  

The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater Company is to eradicate racism and its devastating effects upon society through the theater arts.  For more information on the Black Ensemble Theater Company, please visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.

Act Out Extended: 

Written by Jackie Taylor
Directed by Jackie Taylor and Daryl Brooks

Black Ensemble’s tribute to Chicago’s own music legend Curtis Mayfield is the story of a musical giant who is equally celebrated as a master singer, song writer and record producer.  Mayfield’s timeless music is known and celebrated all over the world, and he is the winner of the Grammy Legend Award (1994), the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1995) and a double inductee into both The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1991, 1999) and the Grammy Hall of Fame. From the music of The Impressions like “Gypsy Woman,” “I’m So Proud,” “Choice of Colors” to movie hits like “Super Fly,” The Curtis Mayfield Story will bring to vibrant, theatrical life the rare musical genius that was Curtis Mayfield. 

ChiIL Live Shows caught THE STORY OF CURTIS MAYFIELD: IT’S ALL-RIGHT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, back on opening night and we highly recommend it.   This is a must see.   Click here for tickets and more info.

ACT OUT HOLIDAY: “A KLINGON CHRISTMAS CAROL” at The Raven 11/30-12/29 & ECC 12/7 Only

COMMEDIA BEAUREGARD’S

“A KLINGON CHRISTMAS CAROL”

COMES TO THE ECC ARTS CENTER

FOR ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY,

DEC. 7 AT 7:30 P.M.

Want a truly unique holiday treat?   How about dinner and a Klingon Christmas Carol?!

Commedia Beauegard brings their new production of “A Klingon Christmas Carol” written by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom and Sasha Walloch and translated into Klingon by Laura Thurston, Bill Hedrick, Chris Lipscombe, and Christopher Kidder-Mostrom, to the ECC Arts Center, on the Elgin Community College Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, for one performance only, Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. For more information visit tickets.elgin.edu.  In addition to this special performance at the ECC Arts Center, “A Klingon Christmas Carol” runs Nov. 30-Dec.29 at The Raven Theatre. For more information visit cbtheatre.org.

 “A Klingon Christmas Carol,” directed by Kidder-Mostrom, adapts Dickens’ classic tale of ghosts and redemption into a story of Klingon SQuja' (pronounced SKHOO-jah) overcoming cowardice to reclaim his honor. Performed in Klingon with English supertitles and a Vulcan narrator, Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike will love this inspired take on a holiday classic. “Those of you who can’t wait for ComiCon to break out that red shirt costume or your forehead ridges will undoubtedly find this a most honorable way to get into the holiday spirit…3 Stars,” says Chicago Theater Beat.

Kidder-Mostrom and Walloch’s “A Klingon Christmas Carol” was first performed in  St. Paul, Minn. in 2007.  2013 marks the 8th time that Commedia Beauregard has produced the play (four times in St. Paul, Minn.; four times in Chicago; 2010 had shows in both cities).  The exciting new 2013 production features a new multi-level set, new costumes that blend Victorian England with Klingon aesthetics and a 15-person cast with Elizabeth Richards as Narrator, Clark Bender as SQuja’ (Scrooge), Colin Fewell as QachIt (Bob Cratchit). For a complete list of the cast and design team, visit cbtheatre.org.

The mission of Commedia Beauregard is “to translate the universal human experience to the stage: to expand our horizons and share knowledge of all cultures, translating between languages and between arts to create theater that is beautiful in expression.” Commedia Beauregard was founded 1999 in St. Paul, Minn., by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom (then, Christopher O. Kidder).Commedia Beauregard has been headquartered in Chicago since 2011 and recently became a resident company of the West Stage of the Raven Theatre Complex in Chicago.

Tickets for the ECC Arts Center Saturday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. performance of “A Klingon Christmas Carol” are $32. A three-course, pre-show dinner prepared by ECC’s award-winning Culinary Arts and Hospitality program can be purchased online for an additional $29. The menu includes a Mixed Green Salad with Pickled Red Beets (inspired by the Klingon dish Gagh), Sliced Beef with Horseradish Sauce accompanied by Roasted Shallot and Garlic Shipped Potatoes (inspired by the Klingon dish Heart of Targ), and Cranberry Panna Cotta (inspired by a favorite Klingon beverage, Bloodwine).  Dinners are served at 5:30 p.m. in the Spartan Terrace Restaurant, located in the lobby of the ECC Arts Center. Dinners must be ordered on or before Monday, Dec. 2.

Tickets for the ECC Arts Center performance and pre-show dinner can be purchased online at tickets.elgin.edu or at the ECC box office located in the Arts Center. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call 847-622-0300. All major credit cards are accepted.

In addition to this special performance at the ECC Arts Center, “A Klingon Christmas Carol” also runs Nov. 30-Dec.29 at The Raven Theatre, 6157 N Clark St. For tickets and more information, visit cbtheatre.org or call 773-338-2177.

The ECC Arts Center, located in Building H on the Elgin Community College Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, presents amazing artists in intimate theater settings. Delicious dinners prepared through a partnership with the ECC's award-winning culinary arts program often accompany events. Parking is plentiful and free.

For more information about the ECC Arts Center, visit tickets.elgin.edu or call 847-622-0300. The arts center also can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/ECCArtsCenter. Become a fan of the arts center on Facebook at facebook.com/ECCArtsCenter.

INCOMING: King of Soul: Acoustic Otis Redding tribute at City Winery December 9th

King of Soul: Acoustic Otis Redding is a tribute that presents the Stax Records icon’s most memorable songs as performed by vocalist Gerald McClendon, guitarist Carlo Basile (Las Guitarras De Espana) and violinist Chihsuan Yang (Matt Santos’ band), alongside some of Chicago’s top players from the realms of soul and world music.   

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, City Winery is one of our favorite small, live music venues with plentiful seating and a stellar lineup crossing many genres of music.   Think date night, or a chance to meet new friends at the long, communal tables.

King of Soul - Acoustic Otis Redding AND Spanish Guitar Duo (featuring members of Las Guitarras de España) - 12/9

MONDAY, DECEMBER 09 2013 6:00 PM DOORS / 7:30 PM START

Click here for more info & to purchase tickets.

ACT OUT HOLIDAY: A Q BROTHERS’ CHRISTMAS CAROL NOVEMBER 30–DECEMBER 22, 2013 (ages 12+)

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER INVITES AUDIENCES 

TO A SNEAK PREVIEW OF A NEW WORK-IN-PROGRESS

A Q BROTHERS’ CHRISTMAS CAROL

NOVEMBER 30–DECEMBER 22, 2013

Othello: The Remix Featured at Sydney Festival January 2014

ChiIL out with Jeff Award winning Chi-town favorites, The Q Brothers!  They've infused Shakespeare and other classics with fresh new breath and engaged a younger audience with edgier productions, hip-hop and comedic genius.   We can't wait to see their take on A Christmas Carol!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) and hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers are back at it again turning up the volume with a fresh take on a beloved classic. The Q Brothers and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton have come together to develop A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol—a hip-hop reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens. Now, alongside Chicago theaters’ familiar renditions of this heartwarming tale, audiences will participate in the creation of an energized, reinvented tradition. Work-in-progress performances of A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol will run in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, November 30–December 22, 2013.

A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol is being created between stops of the Q Brothers’ international whirlwind tour of the award-winning Othello: The Remix, which will travel to Australia in January to be featured in the line-up of the highly regarded Sydney Festival 2014. Premiering at Shakespeare’s Globe for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad’s ‘Globe to Globe’ festival, Othello: The Remix has toured to festival venues around the world, playing to sold-out houses of multi-generational and culturally diverse audiences in Edinburgh, Germany, South Korea and London. Its extended five-month Chicago engagement broke records for Chicago Shakespeare’s longstanding CST for $20 program for patrons under 35 years of age. 

Written and performed by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle, A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol takes on the cherished holiday tale and wrestles it from its sacred roots with irreverence, an array of music styles, and a lot of heart. Just as hip-hop borrows from many genres, the story will be underscored with beats spun live by DJ Super Nova at the turntables, mashing up everything from reggae and dancehall music, to futuristic dubstep and epic rock ballads. Audiences will recognize familiar characters like Ebenezer Scrooge with his erotic passion for money, a Jamaican Jacob Marley, and the most pitiful Cratchit, Lil’ Tim. The time-traveling Ghosts take Scrooge on a voyage through the hip-hop ages–decade by decade from past to present to future–documenting the still-evolving musical art form. This new holiday treat will prove to be as cheeky, intelligent and street smart as audiences have come to expect from the Q Brothers.

A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol design team includes Scenic and Costume Designer Scott Davis, Lighting Designer Jesse Klug and Wig and Make-up Designer Melissa Veal. Properties Master Amy Peter and Choreographer Anacron complete the creative team. Written by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle and developed with Rick Boynton, A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol is presented in association with Richard Jordan Productions Ltd.

WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRESENTATIONS

November 30–December 22, 2013

Tuesdays–Fridays @ 7:30 p.m.

Saturdays @ 6:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

   (on 11/30, 8:30 p.m. only)

Sundays @ 3:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices

Tickets on sale now for $20-$35

CST for $20 tickets for patrons under 35 years old.

All patrons receive a 40% discount on guaranteed parking in Navy Pier garages.

Recommended for audiences age 12 & up.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Box Office: 312.595.5600

www.chicagoshakes.com

Programming in the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare

is made possible through generous support from Hyatt Hotels Corporation

MONSTER MAGNET TONIGHT at Bottom Lounge (17+) Premiere Bonus Track From Last Patrol on the "Deciblog"

"Wyndorf's songs are like sci-fi adventures in the brain of an LSD-gobbling hippie" -Decibel Magazine- "Dave Wyndorf and company dial back into what made the band counterculture legends in the first place." -Blabbermouth- MONSTER MAGNET released their critically acclaimed new album Last Patrol this past October via Napalm Records.  Last Patrol is available as a Limited Edition Digipak, which contains two bonus tracks, standard CD, 2LP and digital format.  The album is available to order on Amazon and iTunes. MONSTER MAGNET will be hitting the road beginning in Grand Rapids, MI for their first North American tour in over 10 years!  The tour will run through December 14th in New York, NY.  Support on the tour will be come from Royal Thunder and Anti-Mortem.  (Zodiac who were originally part of the tour have been denied visas and will not be on the bill)  A complete last of dates can be found below. Decibel Magazine's "Deciblog" is hosting an exclusive premiere of one of the bonus tracks from Last Patrol.  The song "One Dead Moon" is only available on the Limited Edition Digipak, LP and deluxe digital versions of Last Patrol. Check out the exclusive premiere of "One Dead Moon" HERE. MONSTER MAGNET's video for the song "Mindless Ones" was directed by Tom Scharpling and can be seen HERE. MONSTER MAGNET North American Tour With Royal Thunder and Anti-Mortem: 11/14: Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection 11/15: Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews 11/16: Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge 11/17: Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights 11/19: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater 11/20: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 11/22: Seattle, WA @ Neumos 11/23: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater 11/24: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater 11/26: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent 11/27: Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues 11/29: Tempe, AZ @ Club Red 11/30: Albuquerque, NM @ Launch Pad 12/2: Austin, TX @ Red 7 12/3: Houston, TX @ Fitzgeralds 12/4: Dallas, TX @ Trees 12/6: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade 12/7: Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend 12/8: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage 12/10: Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace 12/12: Boston, MA @ Sinclair 12/13: West Chester, PA @ The Note 12/14: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom For More Info Visit: http://www.zodiaclung.com https://www.facebook.com/monstermagnet http://www.napalmrecords.com

REVIEW: A'Musing Myths at Actors Gymnasium Highly Recommended #ChiILPicksList #agyouthcircus

A'Musing Myths

Fall Youth Circus

Closing THIS WEEKEND!

ChiIL Mama, Du-Jay and Sagezilla caught opening night and highly recommend checking out A'Musing Myths at Actors Gymnasium.   It's a great, family friendly, all ages show, with a cast completely comprised of kids. The plot does work better if the audience has at least a rudimentary knowledge of Greek Mythology, so young kids might be a bit lost on the story line.   But the colorful, creative circus arts make this a fun production for the whole family.

We're huge fans of shows that have a fleshed out plot instead of just free standing circus skills demos, and The Actors Gym excels at productions like that. A'Musing Myths doesn't have quite as much live music as past shows we've seen there, but it's still well worth checking out.   We were particularly impressed with the multiple simultaneous silks and Spanish Web ropes in some of the bigger group aerial acts!   Don't be surprised if your kids are inspired to enroll in Actors Gym classes once they see how much fun these kids are having and what stellar skills they've developed.

We love the melding of the classics and these familiar character archetypes with circus skills.  The Greek Myths are given a vibrant, new twist with the introduction of aerial arts, unicycle and more.   It's a small space so we highly suggest you get tickets in advance to guarantee seats.   These show are very likely to sell out!

For group reservations and general questions call 847-328-2795.  If online sales are sold out, a limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

  

Final 2 days! 

November 16 & 17, 2013

Saturdays at 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm

Sundays at 3:00 pm  

$15 for adult tickets!

$12.50 for children, students and seniors!  

Have you bought your tickets yet? 

  

A young girl who sacrifices love for the sake of the world.  A fierce seamstress who dares flaunt her talents before the goddess of Arts & Crafts. That angry one with the snakes for hair.  The gift of fire and the origin of man himself. Join us as Prometheus, our favorite Titan, recounts the origins of some of his favorite characters from mythic Greece. 

The Members of The Actors Gymnasium's Fall Youth Circus Ensemble combine skills in circus, dance, clowning, and drama to delight us on adventures that span the heights of Mount Olympus, the depths of the Underworld, and every strange and imaginary place in between.  

  

A'Musing Myths: Fall Youth Circus is written and directed by Chris Mathews with circus choreography by Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, dance choreography by Topeka Ellis, and assistant directed by David Corlew. Tickets will go quickly - so get yours today!

Tickets are available ONLINE only.  Once online sales are closed, 1.5 hours prior to the show start time, the on-location box office will be open.

Go early.   Things are a bit confusing due to building construction.   Actors Gym tickets are on the far left side of the lobby as you enter and their performance space is on the far right.   They have simplified things with actual tickets now.

Win:

Take part in our hashtag contest!  Whoever has the most #agyouthcircus comments on Facebook and/or Twitter before November 19 will win a free black AG jacket OR $50 off their next session of classes (Your choice!).  Posts must be relevant and on-topic.